as in retaliatory
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Recent Examples of retributive
The Front Page Highlights The president’s unilateral and retributive style of governing is starting to hit a wall in both chambers of Congress.
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Katie Rogers Adriana Loureiro Fernandez Nina Agrawal Ryan Mac,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
The images captured by bystanders and immigration agents were reminiscent of the lynching postcards that white spectators once bought and traded — reproductions of retributive violence, tailor-made to titillate and intimidate.
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Tressie McMillan Cottom,
Mercury News,
7 Feb. 2026
For millennia, punishment was considered morally defensible purely on retributive grounds.
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Paul Rosenzweig,
The Atlantic,
3 Jan. 2026
The Austro-Hungarian Empire’s retributive demands against Serbia led Russia, a Serbian ally, to mobilize its forces, which in turn provoked Germany to build up troops against Russia and England, another Russian ally.
—
Joel Wuthnow,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retributive
Katie Rogers Adriana Loureiro Fernandez Nina Agrawal Ryan Mac,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
The images captured by bystanders and immigration agents were reminiscent of the lynching postcards that white spectators once bought and traded — reproductions of retributive violence, tailor-made to titillate and intimidate.
—
Tressie McMillan Cottom,
Mercury News,
7 Feb. 2026
For millennia, punishment was considered morally defensible purely on retributive grounds.
—
Paul Rosenzweig,
The Atlantic,
3 Jan. 2026
The Austro-Hungarian Empire’s retributive demands against Serbia led Russia, a Serbian ally, to mobilize its forces, which in turn provoked Germany to build up troops against Russia and England, another Russian ally.
—
Joel Wuthnow,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retributive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retributive
Adjective
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Twice in recent days, the United States has launched retaliatory strikes on Iran following drone attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
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Her attorneys argued that the fee award would help to deter frivolous and retaliatory suits against accusers in the future.
Adjective
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DeMar DeRozan had 32, Russell Westbrook had a revengeful 22 and Malik Monk had 26 off the bench.
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Brian Heil played Don Jose with angst and ultimately, revengeful rage as Carmen’s spurned lover.
Adjective
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As Afghanistan's once-again rulers, the Taliban would refrain from retributory violence and respect women's rights - at least so far as Islam allows.
Adjective
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Woods is seeking compensatory, punitive, and statutory damages in an amount to be determined at trial.
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The Thunder traded guards Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins to the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks, respectively, shedding their contracts to try to duck under the NBA’s punitive second-apron threshold.
Adjective
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The 47-month sentence is notable given the Dutch penal system’s typically short prison terms.
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Colorado was the first of eight states to repeal its penal exception clause.
Adjective
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The international governing body’s disciplinary committee elected to utilize Article 27 of its code, which allows the judicial body to fully or partially suspend the implementation of an on-pitch disciplinary measure under a probationary period.
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Resigned-Disciplinary — This is Oregon’s version of disciplinary revocation.
Cite this Entry
“Retributive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retributive. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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